Gold Rush (Golden Omegaverse #1)

Chapter 14 – June

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

JUNE

The bed is much firmer than I remember.

I shift sleepily, inhaling the smell of breakfast mixed with overpowering mint. My eyes flutter open, taking in the long, lean torso of the man under me. The same one that talked me down from panicking last night. There’s a drool spot on his shirt where my cheek is, and I jerk, feeling his hand tighten on my shoulder, keeping me from flying off the couch.

We’re both covered by not one, but two blankets.

He blinks owlishly up at me behind askew glasses. “Morning.”

I flush, sitting up a little slower and both the blankets fall onto the floor. Reorienting myself, I rub my face, clearing the crusty pieces from my eyes, the skin slightly swollen from crying last night. A whiff of chocolate comes off one of the blankets, and I turn toward it, closing my eyes as my heart flutters.

Seth was in here.

“Come on.” Arin sits up, long limbs hanging as he gives me a small smile. “Let’s see what Bennett made for breakfast.”

I stagger upright, wanting to give him the space to stand too, but all it does is immediately remind me of how tall he is. The sheer height of him makes me feel like an ugly duckling, scrambling to keep up as he walks out of the office with me hot on his heels.

Arin steps into the kitchen and I peek around him. Bennett moves back and forth between two sections of countertop, mixing ingredients for pancakes. Seth leans against one side, stealing a kiss every time Bennett walks by.

The beta perks up immediately, his smile widening as he looks between Arin and I.

“I couldn’t figure out why your room was empty… then I came downstairs.” Seth shoots Arin a look. “I told you to stop sleeping on that couch with only that decorative blanket. It’s not warm enough.”

Arin coughs, glancing to the side as he runs a hand over his mussed hair. “I’m… going to get out of these clothes. I’ve had them on since yesterday morning.” As he turns, his eyes catch on me, lingering. “I’ll be back for breakfast. Eat something, Juniper.”

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out as he slips past.

Seth pushes off the counter, walking toward me. I flush as I glance up at him, barely having to move my eyes to do it since we’re so even-matched. He touches my jaw, a line appearing between his brows. “Are you okay? Your eyes are puffy.”

Rubbing them self-consciously, my heart tugs uncomfortably. The fact he even noticed makes my mind spin, my throat feeling suddenly tight as I inhale shakily.

His frown deepens, and then he wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his chest, smelling of oranges and chocolate. Just as I have the thought, he laughs softly and mutters directly into my ear. “You smell like mint tea, like Arin coated you in his scent overnight.”

From behind us, Bennett clears his throat. “How many pancakes do you want June?”

Anxiety skitters over my skin as I pull away from Seth. That’s his bonded . Why would Bennett want to see Seth hanging all over me? Why would any of them want to smell someone else on my skin? Not even Seth’s brief touch on my arm can curb the panic. Backing up, I ease toward the door, unable to meet Bennett’s eyes.

“I’ll be right back.”

I don’t wait for a response, instead I dart out of the room, afraid they’ll stop me, afraid of what will come out of my mouth if I let myself stay. I make it to the guest room before I suck in a ragged breath, going straight to the bathroom and turning the shower to scalding. Something about being told I smell like Arin — an unfamiliar alpha — my brain unhelpfully adds — means I can’t get out of my clothes quick enough, shedding them just to jump under the burning water.

My skin is pink and red, raw from scrubbing it with the scent-cancelling products, by the time the water turns cold. I want to claw my own skin off as I stumble out of the shower and tug on a sweater and my other pair of leggings. My rounded stomach is bloated, and the leggings cut into it as I push my fists against my eyes.

Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry .

Last night was the most rest I’ve gotten in a week .

This is all too much — too fast — I shouldn’t be here — I shouldn’t be in this situation. I should be at home in my shitty little apartment writing my silly books and be grateful I’ve had the small success in my pathetic little life I have —

I refuse to look at myself in the mirror as I leave the room again.

The adult thing to do is to thank them for taking me in, but part ways. I can find an omega-only hotel that’s willing to let me stay — even if it means taking out some cash from my savings account. If nothing else, I can contact the designation center and ask about the pack with the female alpha. I never should have dropped the card for the heat service.

I take the steps slowly, steeling myself. It will be simple — look at them, say that I’m thankful, and then go back upstairs and pack. I’ll leave everything Seth bought for me, I never should have accepted any of it in the first place.

Noises in the kitchen make me slow as I keep my head raised, walking through the archway. My eyes find Seth and Bennett immediately, both seated in the corner breakfast nook.

It’s Theo behind the stove, making a pancake, with Arin across from him that makes the words die in my throat.

Their chatter fades. Theo looks up, his bright blue eyes finding mine, pinching at the corners in a glare. Bennett tilts his head, his nostrils flaring as Seth opens his mouth from beside him.

“Had to scrub off last night?” Theo prods at his pancake, his words terse.

I jerk, looking at him sharply, shaken all over again. “What?”

“You heard me.” He doesn’t bother looking up from the pan. “We’ll have to air out the townhouse when you finally leave, everything smells like burnt sugar. I take it from the scent-cancelling soap you didn’t like our alpha’s scent all over you? Are you about to move on and find someone you can tolerate better?”

“What the fuck is your problem?” My entire plan shatters as I stare at him, my hands shaking as I clench them into fists. “All you’ve done is bully me since I’ve been here or scurry away with your tail tucked between your legs when I’m in the same room. Go on, run away.”

His jaw flexes as he raises his head. “I’m not fucking running in my own home. You must have thought you won the goddamn lottery when Seth came to the designation center —”

“Theo —” Bennett snaps, starting to rise.

“Fuck you ,” I snarl the word, putting my entire chest behind it as I spit from anger, stepping forward. “I’m not some fucking nineteen year old omega you can get off on bullying. I’m a person — I have — had free will until a week ago, something you’d never understand.” The silence in the kitchen is deafening as I stalk forward, pointing at Theo. “I went to college, I have a life, a career . This entire thing has derailed my future, and you don’t get to give me shit for taking the only safe option I had.”

He locks eyes with me, heat and fire burning me as he mutters sarcastically, “So fucking dramatic.”

My lip curls. “Shut the fuck up. You don’t get to tell me I’m dramatic and overreacting when you’ve lived your entire life the way you’ve planned it. This is the worst nightmare I’ve ever had — did you know the center told me that hotels have the right to refuse me? Airports can turn me away?”

At his silence, I barrel forward, too enraged not to keep speaking. “I can’t get out of bed without feeling my entire body rebel against me. I feel like I can’t even take care of myself anymore. Do you know how embarrassing that is? I’ve spent my entire life taking care of myself. Do you even know what it feels like to suddenly feel wrong and like you’re missing a part of yourself? I just have this constant fucking ache in me, a want , a claw in my chest —” I choke on the words, the room blurring as my eyes fill with tears.

Theo stares. “You don’t have to stay here if it’s so bad.”

Seth yelps from the table. “What?”

“You heard me.” He’s talking to Seth, but his eyes never waver from mine. “Clearly this isn’t the place for you if you’re so miserable.” He shoves the pan off the stove, crossing his arms.

The plan I formed falls apart in my hands. “The center told me I would be putting myself in danger.”

Theo shrugs, but the motion is jolted, uncomfortable. His words say one thing, but his body language says another. His shoulders are tight, his lips pressed together as he leans away from me. “So?”

“Theo.” Arin’s voice is barely a whisper, a warning.

“I can’t walk around perfuming and drawing every alpha in the city to myself.” I stare at Theo — he can’t be this stupid . Everyone has seen the stories of young omegas out at night at the wrong time, about alphas who think their power means they can do whatever they want.

My blood runs cold. “I’ll end up trapped in the center again, stripped of my choice.”

His expression doesn’t waver, but something in his eyes looks as unstable as I feel. “Take suppressants.” He sounds angry, but also, somehow, pleading. “Get on a flight. Go home . Go to one of those under the table heat hotels, spend the nights with a hired alpha or toys. Satisfy yourself, because let me make one thing clear.” He slams his hands down on the counter, making everyone flinch. “You are not welcome in this pack.”

“Jesus, Theo —” Seth stands and Theo whips his head to the side.

“No, she should know.” Theo snarls, looking back at me. “I don’t want you. You might be trying to worm your way into everyone else’s bed, but I’m a part of this pack too, and I’m rejecting you.”

Pain — white hot, angry and electric — radiates through my chest, like my body is trying to rip itself apart at the words. I take a step back, putting a hand over my heart, whining at the physical pain the words cause.

“We aren’t trapping you here. You want to leave? The door isn’t bolted, and I sure as fuck won’t stop you.” He stalks around the counter and nears me and I stare up at him, my lower lip trembling as he scoffs. “If you’re going to be emotional about all of this, do it somewhere else. I’m tired of hearing it.”

“You’re an asshole.” I whisper the words, my voice wobbling.

“Born and raised, princess.” He doesn’t even look at me. “Go find someone else to —”

“ Quiet .” The weight of Arin’s bark silences Theo mid-sentence. It settles on the kitchen, heavy as the taller alpha stalks toward Theo. I can’t move, can’t breathe.

Theo doesn’t let him reach us. He storms out of the room, shoving past me as Bennett stands up. His shoulders are tight, his jaw tense as he stares angrily at Arin’s profile. “ Go .” He strides forward, and then takes my arm, pulling me away from the doorway, his voice softening. “Come sit, June. I’ll make you a plate.”

Arin looks over at me, his eyes falling to Bennett’s hand on my arm before he leaves the kitchen. I struggle to swallow, my tongue feeling thick as I mutter, “No, I should go — I need to pack —”

Seth jumps up, moving over to me only to cup my face. “No.” He shakes his head, his eyes full of concern as he takes me in. “No leaving. Do you like chocolate chips in your pancakes? Bennett makes them taste so much better than anywhere else. I don’t know how he does it.”

My heart pounds in my chest, my skin feeling clammy as I glance up at him, then over at Bennett. “I —”

Bennett cleans the charred pancake out of the pan, dumping it into the trash before pouring fresh batter in. “Answer us. Plain or chocolate chip, darling?”

My eyes burn as I lean into Seth’s touch, taking a shaking breath. “Chocolate chip.”

“Good choice.” Seth smiles, hugging me securely, lips pressed against the crown of my head. “I knew you liked chocolate.”